Ferryboat



Patented Nov. Y11i, 1930r 4 (UNITED STATES PATENs'rFFicE y PERCY C. DAY,or MILWAUKEE, WIsCoNsIN, AssICfNoRy To rTIIEIFALK CORPORATION, OFMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION `or WISCONSIN Y FERRYBOATApplication ined April-7, 1928. serial No. 268.168.

the present invention. j

In the drawings: v Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a ferry boatdrive mechanism embodying `the present invention.

Fi .12 is la fragmentary sectional view of a hydraulic Clutch employed.r

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of ra control valve. y

The drive mechanism shown in Figure 1 f 20 comprises a pair of internalCombustion oil engines A10 and 11 of a well-known type, mounted"centrally within a ferry boat 12 and disposed parallel With and atopposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the boat.

` '25 The engines are geared together preferably through a speedreduction gear set 13. The gear set shown comprises a pinion 14 connected through a well-known type of flexible Coupling 15 with one end ofthe crank shaft 30 16 of enginelO, and a pinion 17 of equal size,similarly connected to one end of the crank shaft 18 of engine 11. Thepinions 14 and 17 mesh with an intermediate gear 19, so that the twoengines are permanently connected: for operation in denite phaserelation. l Two propeller shafts 20 and 21 are provided at the oppositeends'of theboat, each shaft being equipped with an end thrust bearing 22of a well-known type. One of the shafts `2() carries and ydrives a righthand propeller 23 and the other a left hand propeller 24. An appropriateclutch 25 provides a releasable driving connection be 45`tween the shaft20` and the gear 19, and aA similar clutch 26 provides a releasabledriving Connection between the shaft 21 and the gear 19.

The clutches shown are of a well-known hydraulic type although otherforms of hythe ring 32V to'forma liquid tight pressure draulic or otherpower operated clutches maybe employed rvwithout departing from theprinciples of the present invention. In this instanceeach clutchcomprises a circu-y lar frame 27 bolted or otherwise `fixed ytoy a hubportion 28, attachedto oneof the propeller shafts, yand/a iiexible disk29,' fixed to an end of the shaft 30of the gearv19. The periphery of thediskj29 isV disposed be` tweenixcd and movable gripper rings 3l and 32carried bythe'frame 27; The Inovablelring 32 is supported by anexpansion ring'33 which cooperates with'a web 34 on the frame and adiaphragm 35 Acarried by '65 receivingV chamber-36- Liquid is suppliedto the chamber 36througha longitudinal pas'- sagev l37' in the'nhub 28which communicates f through vradial passages 38 Awithian annular *l ngroove 39-formedinan appropriate fslip'riiig 70 4() on the hub. A .pipe41 or 42 connected withthe ring 40 communicates with groove 39 through apassage 43. The'arrangem'ent isusuch'that, whenthe chamber 36 isexpanded by hydraulic lpressure'transmitted through pipe 415er 42r and"connected fpassages, the movableV ring 32is'foroed toward the fixedAring 31 so as to grip the flexible disk 29 therebetween toV therebyestablish a driving connection between shaft 30 andthe associatedpropeller shaft. I' i 1 i J rHydraulic pressure is suppliedfrom anappropriate source through a pipe 44 under the control Ofan appropriateValve 45. 4The valve shown comprises an appropriate housing having threeports 46, 47, and 48 for connection with the pipes 41, 42 and 44,respectively, and a p ort 49 for connection with a discharge pipe 50.Avalve 51 rotatable in the housing` divides the interior thereofinto twochambers 52 and 53. With the valve in the position Shown in F igure 3piper 42 is open to exhaust pipe through chamber 53,v and pipe 41 isopen to the supply1pipe44 through chamber 52, so Clutch 26 is openandclutch 25 closed. By rotating'the valve counter-clockwise pipes 41, 42,andexh'aust'pipe 50 may'beplaced in communication through chamber 5,3,to thereby open both clutches; and by rotating the valve further in thesame direction pipe 10o 42 may be connected to pipe 44 through chamf ber52, and pipe 41 connected to pipe 50 Y through chamer 53, to therebyclose clutch 26 and leave clutch 25 open. y

It will thus be noted that when clutch 25 is closed and clutch 26 p openpropeller 23 is operatively connected with the engine and n drives theboat toward the right (Fig. l) and when clutch is open and Clutch 26closed propeller .23'is-relea'sed and propeller 24 ren dered` active todrive the .boat in the opposite direction. The use of a gear set such asthat described not only maintains the two engines in definite phaserelation but also permits `a 5. A propulsion mechanism for ferry boatscomprising a propeller shaft at each end of the boat, a right handpropeller on one shaft, a left hand propeller on the other shaft, aplurality of internal combustion engines disposed at opposite sides ofsaid shafts, gearing connecting said engines for operation in defi-Vnite phase relation, and means for connecting said gearing with one orthe other of said shafts selectively to thereby drive the boat in onedirection or the other.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe nay-name this th day of March,1927.

i PERCY C. DAY.

symmetrical disposition of the engines, as

well ,as the propeller shafts, with respect to the boat. Furthermore thereduction in speed, rendered available by the gear set, permits the useof relatively7 high enginespeeds with a consequent reduction insize ofengines Y for `a required power output.

VVarious changes may be made in the embodiment. of the inventionhereinabove specifically describednwithont departing `from orsacrificing the advantages of theinvention asdefined in the appendedclaims.

` l.` A` propulsion mechanism for ferry boats comp-rising a propellershaft at each end of the boat, a right hand propelleron onevshaft, aleft lian-d propeller on the other shaft, a

` pair of' internal combustion engines, and

means including speed reduction gearing and cooperating clutchesoperable to connect both of said 4engines in driving relation` with oneby drive'the boat in one direction or the other.

\ 2. VA propulsion mechanism for ferry boats comprising a shaft ateachend of the boat7 a right hand propeller on one shaft, a left handpropeller on theother shaft, Va pair of internal combustion engines,gearing connecting said engines for operation in definite phaserelation, clutch mechanisms for effectinga driving connection betweensaid gearing and either of said shafts `selectively to thereby Vor theother of said shafts selectively to theredrive the boat inV onedirection or the other.

8. Y A propulsion mechanism for ferry boats comprising a shaft at eachend of the boat, a right hand propeller on one shaft, a left handpropelleron the other shaft, a pair of internal combustion engines, agear set comprising a gear driven by each engine and an bont ineitherdirection..

